Hydrocracking is a refining process for upgrading low-quality heavy gas oils from the atmospheric or vacuum distillation tower, the fluid catalytic cracker, and the coking units into high-quality, clean-burning jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline. The conventional flow measuring instrumentation of heavy hydrocarbon processing plants is often challenged by both the viscous fluid and the metal catalyst. A non-intrusive, low maintenance flow measurement solution that could cope with dirty mediums and extremely high temperatures was sought. Furthermore, the devices would need to be standardised in the plant and be used in Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control and emergency shutdown applications where zone 1 explosion-protected equipment with SIL2 certification is required.
The Flexim FLUXUS F831 is a dual channel ultrasonic clamp-on flow meter for bi-directional flow measurement of liquids in hazardous areas (ATEX, IECEx Zone 1 and FM Class I, Div. 1 approved). With its explosion proof housing, optional intrinsically safe inputs and outputs and the corrosion resistant transducers residing outside the pipe wall, the FLUXUS F831 series is perfectly suited for every demanding industrial application in and out of the oil field and the chemical industry. The connection and electronics compartments of the FLUXUS F831 are hermetically sealed and the FLUXUS F831 comes with carefully matched and temperature compensated transducers (fully ANSI / ASME MFC 5M compliant) providing unmatched zero-point stability.
Flexim WaveInjector technology enables metering at extreme temperatures from -328°F up to 1166°F. Using patented technology, the Flexim WaveInjector thermally separates the ultrasonic transducers from the hot or cryogenic pipe, allowing permanent flow measurements at extreme pipe wall temperatures providing the ultimate competitive edge - in process control, process management, and environmental protection. The WaveInjector, along with the ultrasonic transducers, is simply installed on to the outer surface of the pipe, using coupling plates for a proper acoustic contact. This means, that there is no need to open the pipe - no drilling, and no process shut-down is required.
The Flexim FLUXUS G80X SIL flow meter has always been the first choice when it comes to maintaining accurate measurements in harsh conditions – e.g. during the flow measurement of highly pressurised, aggressive, toxic or highly explosive gaseous media. The SIL 2 certification of the G80X SIL non-invasive flow meter includes the entire measuring system -the measuring transmitters and transducers.